Occupational Therapist Assistant

Occupational Therapist Assistant

Reports To: Occupational Therapist and Director of Exceptional Children's Program

Terms of Employment: Full Time 10 Months

Salary: NC State Salary Schedule

FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Non-Exempt

Qualifications:

• Completion of an accredited educational curriculum for occupational therapist assistants and two years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Must be licensed as an occupational therapist assistant in North Carolina

Essential Job Functions:

The job of Occupational Therapist Assistant was established for the purpose of providing educationally related occupational therapy services to students diagnosed with a variety of cognitive, emotional and/or physical illnesses or disabilities according to the student's Individualized Education Plan and under the direction of the Occupational Therapist.

The following are examples of principle duties; however, any one position may not cover all duties listed and examples may not cover all duties an employee is expected to perform.

• Adapts school and classroom environment, tools and materials under the supervision of the Occupational Therapist for the purpose of improving student functioning and facilitating student access to curricular and instructional activities.
• Assists Occupational Therapist with assessing students' fine motor, and development skills (e.g. oral motor, sensory integration, motor planning, developmental function, activities of daily living, fine motor function postural tone, etc.) for the purpose of determining their deficits and developing recommendations.
• Attends meetings and workshops (e.g. IEPs, training, team meetings, conferences, meetings with outside agencies, etc.) for the purpose of conveying and/or receiving information, including best practices for school OT delivery when requested.
• Consults with occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, teachers, educational assistants, families, etc. for the purpose of providing requested information, reviewing/revising students' occupational therapy goals/objectives, developing plans for services and/or making recommendations to implement goals.
• Implements therapeutic activities and instructs students, teachers, parents and other involved persons (e.g. positioning, adjusting special equipment, etc.) for the purpose of providing appropriate care to students and/or supporting the student's IEP plan for use in the classroom.
• Maintains files and/or records in cooperation with the Occupational Therapist (e.g. progress reports, activity logs, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities and/or ensuring an up-to-date trail for compliance with various state, federal, and administrative regulations.
• Maintains treatment equipment and supplies in clean and proper working condition for the purpose of implementing motor/therapy goals.
• Prepares written materials (e.g. activity logs, progress notes, reports, memos, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference, and/or conveying information.
• Presents information (e.g. student performance data, clinical feedback, etc.) for the purpose of communicating information, gaining feedback and ensuring adherence to established internal controls.
• Provides direct occupational therapy services to students according to IEP goals for the purpose of ensuring compliance with established practices and procedures.
• Provides services at multiple work sites for the purpose of providing therapy and assistance as required.
• Complies with all school, district, state, and federal guidelines and Hoke County Board of Education policies.
• Provides training, consultation, and instruction to teachers on the use of adaptive devices and equipment for the purpose of ensuring such devices are used safely and optimal benefits are achieved.
• Researches resources and methods (e.g. intervention and treatment techniques, assessment tools and methods, community resources, etc.) for the purpose of determining the appropriate approach for addressing students' functional goals.
• Transports a variety of items (e.g. puzzles, games, assistive devices, assessment tools, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring the availability of materials required for therapy sessions.
• Troubleshoots problems with assistive devices (e.g. computer technology, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring that equipment is in proper working order and/or providing alternative strategies.
• Maintains a variety of records (confidential and non-confidential) and files for the purpose of enduring documentation for future reference in accordance with the administrative and legal requirements.

Physical and Cognitive Requirements:

The major physical and cognitive requirements listed below are applicable to the Occupational Therapist Assistant job classification within the Exceptional Children's Program of Hoke County Schools. Work in this classification is considered light physical work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

Must be able to:

• Prepare, read and comprehend a variety of job related forms, reports, spreadsheets, maps, plans, records, documentation and correspondence in all languages required by the job
• Understand and conform to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style
• Speak to individuals or groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence
• Respond adequately to inquiries or complaints
• Write using standard convention in all languages required by the job
• Apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions
• Apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form
• Communicate effectively and efficiently, both orally and in writing
• Use/interpret job related terminology, mathematical formulas and functions effectively and efficiently
• Deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions
• Perform under stress, deal with persons acting under stress and adapt when confronted with emergency situations
• Be sensitive to cultural differences among individuals and groups of persons
• Operate a motor vehicle
• Operate/use a variety of automated office machines and other job specific office equipment

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position. All employees may have other duties assigned at any time.